Automatic block-signal for trolley systems.



P. N. PECGI. AUTOMATIC BLOCK SIGNAL FOR TROLLEY SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4. 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

c a m c m n s 4 w m c s R z 1 E P m n R o N we u 1 P. N. PEGGI.

AUTOMATIC BLOCK SIGNAL FOR TROLLEY SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1908.

926,437. Patented June-29, 1909.

SSHEBTS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYv P. N. PEGGI. AUTOMATIC BLOCK SIGNAL FOE TROLLEY SYSTEMS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 4, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WIT/VESSES ATTOR/VE.

D, N m

m H u W m m s T s P B R R o N E H T ()l PAlilldSON, NEW JERSEY.

AUTO'iIZATIC BLOCK-SIGNAL FOR TEOLLEY SYSTEIVZS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Application filed June 1908. Serial No. &36,570.

To all 1117mm it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Pro Nanciso lncci, a citizcn of the United States, residing in latcrson, Passaic county. N cw Jcrscy, have in- Ycntcd a certain new and uscl'ul improvcincnt in Automatic lilOCli-Qlgiizils lor 'lrollcy Systcms; and i do hcrclw dcclarc tho following to a lull, clcar, and cxact dcscription of tl invcntion, such as will cnahlc othcrs sliillcd in thc art to which it appcr tains to make and usc tho sanic, rcl'crcncc hcing had to thc accompanying drawings. and to charactcrs oi rclcrcncc marhcd thcrcon, which form a part oi this spccilication.

This invention rclatcs to automaticallv actuated signal systcms and particularl v to such s nns as dcsigncd lor usc in corincction with trolley or othcr railwavs wacrcin parts thcrcol consist of scctions ol singlc track and means are ncccssar' whcrch'v a car or train ahont to entcr a singlc-tnwl; so tion 1 my he adviscd whctl or or not a car or train.

said so tion in thc oppositc dirccis cntcring tion.

in. in systcm l. proridc a safety anl a dangcr signal dcvicc at each cud of :iCll singlc-track section; an 0 cctricalh actuatcd motor (onc for cars cntcring each singlctr; cl; .sction. in onc direction and anothcr for cars cntcring said section in the other dircction), cach oi which motors. whcn actuatcd from a car corrcsponding thcrci' o, scts the dangcr signal at tho for mid of said scction and tho satcty signal at thc ncar cud ol tho samc tho l'ormcr to warn a ca r mitcring tho scc'tion from thc l'ar cnd and thc lattcr to assurc thc lirstsmcntioncd car that tho way is clcar; and two dci'iccs whcrchy cach niotor is clcctrically controllcd h a car passing through the siuglc-trach scction. tho onc licing locatcd. at thc ncar and of said section and thc othcr at tlic far end, and thc l'ormcr scrving to closc a circuit containing thc niotor and thcrcliy causo thc motor to sct thc signals appcrt-aining thcrcto and tho iattcr scrving to closc anothcr circuit fonlaining thc motor and thcrchy rc'vcrsc thc motor and conscoucntly riworsc tlic signals in thc caso whcrc tho signals arc clcctric lights, hrcak tho lighting circuit and put out thc lights.

in carrying out my invcntion, l havc contemplated so constructing tho systcm as to malzc the same entirely automatic and rollahlc and to use a part of thc current which l l l l l l l l l l may ho cmplovcd lor propclling cars or trains.

lily invcntion will ho lound fully illustratcd in thc ac ompan ving drawings, whcrcin,

l igurc 1. is a diagrammatic vicw of a trol lc'y railway having singlc-track scctions and of my systcm Fig. 2 is a front vicw, ccrtain parts hcing hrokcn away and othcrs shown in scction, ol an apparatus comprising the salcty and dangcr signal mcans which is locatcd ncar cach cud ol' cach siuglc-track scction and thc motor which controls said s: l cty signal incans and tho dangcr signal mcaus which is compriscd in a similar apparatus at tho (rclativcly) l'ar cud of said trmk-scction, togcihcr with a part of thc ncccssary wiring; Fig. 2% is a Ycrtical soctional Yiow on Fig. 2 talicn a littlc to thc right of thc ccntcr ol said 'ligurc and looking toward thc lclt thcrcin; Fig. i is a horizontal scctional Yicw talicn on Fig. 2 just ahovo a ccrtain hcll-crank lcvcr controllcd h tho motor; Fig. 5 is an undcrncath plan Yicw oi" tho uppcr casing shown in Figs. 2, :5 and 4, showing tho wiring on tho hottom of said casing; Fig. (3 shows a trolloy wiro, a trollcypolo and thc dci'icc whcrchy thc trollcy-polo is madc to malt and in-cal; thc circuits containing tho motors; Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 arc scctional dctails of parts shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 1; and, l ig. .l is a diagram of a part of tho lighting circuit.

(1 in Fig. 1 dcsignaics thc I) tho railway douhlc ti'acli-scctions and c railway singlcstraclq scctions.

r], Fig. (3, is l'hc trollc polo, comprising the w'hccl c, and f, Figs. 1 and 6, tho doviccs \'-.'hcrcl whcn actuatcd h tho whccl c, thc circuits containing tho motors arc cstahlishcd; onc such dcriccf is supported by tho gu .'--wirc y or thc lllit in proximity to each hranch oil thc trollc c-wirc (I, whorc the samc adjoin lhc singlc i rack scctions, so that a car as it cntcrs a singlc-lrack scction will actualc onc such doriccf and as it lcavcs said sci lion. will actual anotlicr.

Tho dcx'iccsf may ho dcscrihcd as 'l'ollows: /1 is a hox containing an clcctroanagnct i and trollcy wire, and thc an armaluro j thcrcl'or, said magnet and arlnaturc hcing conncctcd by tho wircs /r and l, rcspcctivcly with thc binding posts in and n and hcing so arrangcd that in the normal position ol the armature it hangs pcndcnt out of clcctrical contact with the magnet but when moved. against the magnet the circuit containing them will cause the magi'iet to retain the armature in contact therewith so long as said circuit is unbroken; when it is broken, the armature falls to its normal position. A circuit closer of this type insures maintenance of the circuit so far as such circuit closer is concerned once it barely effects a closing of the circuit, and is of great value in a system 01 this kind in order to make it automatic an d reliable.

Adjoining each end of each single-track section is placed the apparatus illustr ted in Figs. 2, 3, l, 5, 7, 8 and G, which may be de scribed as lOllO'WSZ p and. g are an upper and a lower box, the former containing signals operated from the far end 01 a single track section and a motor for controlling the corresponding signals in the upper box of a similar apparatus at said far end of said trachsection and the latter containing a signal controlled by said motor; each upper and lower be}; has at both ends openings r Which may be glazed vith different colored glass s, say red for the upper box and white -l'or the lower. Besides a movable signal to be described, the upper box contains a series of incandescent lamps the lower box contains, as its signal device, a series oi similar lamps u.

arrying the lighting current er:- tends lrom the trolley 're a into each box p Where it is divided into the branches 1/ and t the former containing the lamps 01' box p and the latter the lamps of box. 9 l'or the apparatus at the far end 01' the track-section; said branches are grounded at w and 71:, respectively. The terminals for the Wires 1;, c and in box p, marked 2 1 and 3 in 1, are mounted separ tely l'rom each other o 1 an insulating "-"late 2' and each consists of a blade 1 fixed .2 by the binding pos" 2 and to late t a pivoted blade 3 held against the blade 1 by a spring 4, the free ends of the blades, which stand horizontally, being flared so that when a circuit closing metallic member (to be described) is moved toward said. blades 1 and 3 it will enter between them and form a good electric contact. Each branch o and o in the portion thereof including the lamps, is itself divided shown in Fig. 9 and contains some of the lamps in each division, the idea being thereby to prevent the cutting out of all the lamps should one burn out.

The circuit containing the lamps in the upper box and the lamps in the lovcer box of the corresponding apparatus at the far end of the track-section is closed by a metallic blade the current from Yfll'G i) being thus divided and passing into the Wires and if; this blade is of course in the box at the far end of the track-section and it and the parts controlling it are precise duplicates of the cor responding parts shown in the dran-ings. t is carried by one end of a cross-arm 6 in turn carried by the sliding core 7 alternately controlled by the electro-magnets 8, alined with each other; it further carries a "a" 9 in which are arranged the alined rods 10 moving in the insulated guides 11. On the core 7' are adjustable stop collars 11 acapted to abut against the respective magnets to limit the throw oi the core. A bridge 12 is carried by the magnets and on this is fixed the block 13 carrying, insulated thereh'om, the bearing 14 for a bell-crank lever 15 one arm 15 of which is forked and receives a roller 16 on the cross-arm 6 the other arm 15 of said lever 15 projects under a semaphore-lever 17 which is n rmally retained in the horizontal or danger position. by weight 18 thereon and which is l'ulcrumed in a bracket 19 depending from a block 20 carried by another bracket 21. which is carried by the bridge rrn anti-lriction roller 22 may be arranged. on the semaphore-lever to take the contact of the bellcrank lever 15. On the bloclr 2G is arranged a bracket 23in which is lulcrumed a cut-out lever 24: adapted at one end to engage the metallic clip 25 and at the other end an adjusting screw 26, the movement oi said cut-out lever into contact with the clip being eilected by the semaahorelever (which lies in the same vertical plane) when the latter has its inner end tllTOV-fll up by tile bell-cranlr-lever 15, and the 1novement of said cut-out lever in the other direction being er'lected upon the return movement of the semaphore-lever through a hook 27 engaged with the semaphore-lever and guided in the fixed sleeve 28 and a spring 29 connecting said hook with an adjusting screw 30 on the cut-out lever; the end of the semaplroredevcr carries insulation 31 ivnich affords the medium of contact with the cutout lever.

Opposite the insulating plate 2 is arranged another insulating plate to which are attached, on one side thereof by the screw 33 and binding-post 34, the flaring horizontal blades 33 and. 33 and, on the other side thereof, by the screw and binding post 36, the similar llaring horizontal blades 35; the blades 33 and are adapted. to be elem trically separated from each other by an insulating Wedge 37 carried by the blade 5, and the blades 35 and 25 are adapted to electrical y separated from each other by the insulating Wedge 38 carried by the rod 10. The blades 33 and 35 carry screws 39 affording means for electrical contact with their complementary blades.

lt will be observed, on reference to 2, that each motor comprises two elements, the magnets 8, the right hand one of Which on ig. 4- closes the lighting circuit and the other of which breaks the lighting circuit. Each motor is at the far end of the singletraok section relatively to a car entering said section; the element 8 for closing the lighting circuit is contained in a circuit com- 35, 35*, binding post so, a wire t l, 25, Z l,

23, the wire 45, right-hand magnet S, a wire 46, a binding post li, wire v to ground w. T he element 8 for breaking the lighting circuit is contained in a circuit comprising a wire 4S connecting the trolley wire with the binding post n ot the device it at the tar end of the track-section, a wire 49 ext ending from binding post m to binding post 50 in box 7), said binding post, a wire 51 leadi 1g to said element 8 (left hand magnet in i a a wire 52, 3 1:, 33 I59, 33 a wire 53, 47, o to ground 10.

Assuming ear is about to enter a single-track and that the signal ap paratus at that point shows the way clear,

its trolley wheel engages the armature and moves the same against the magnet i where it will be automatically held as soon as contact therewith is e'l't'ected. At this time the motor in the signal apparatus at the far end cl said track-section stands wi h its parts in the left instead of the right-harul position, as in 2, so that, the lighting circuit being broken, the lights in th; adjoining box q and in the remote box 3) are extinguished and the motor circuit for the let't-hand magnet is broken by the insulating wedge 37 separating the blades 33 and 33; but the circuit containing the right-hantl magnet is complete at the blades 35, so that, once the circuit is completed between t and j, the right-hand magnet draws the core 7 quickly to the right, thus shitting lever 15 which al lows the weighted L of the semaphore lever 17 to drop, bringing the latter into the danger position; at the same tine the lighting circuit established, lighting the lamps in box 3) at the l'ar end of the 1racl SM tion and in box (1 at the near end thereof. hen this movement of the parts takes place, the right-hand i'nagnet b4 cuts itselt out of circui at two points, via, by insulating wedge :36 separating the blades 35 and by the sen aphoro lever, through hook 37 and spring 29, pulling lever 12 i: away from clio When the car has passed through the single-trick section and reaches the device 72 at the far end of the san c, the trolleywhee closes the circuit containing the letthand ma net 5%, which circuit has been previously closed at blades 33 33", by the withdrawal of wedge $37 from between them; lclthand magnet 5% now reverses the movement of core 7 and the other moving parts controlled thereby, putting out the lights and causing lever 15 to move the semaphore-lever to safety. At the same time,

l l l l i l l magnet S cuts itself out by forcing wedge 37 between blades 33, 33, while it closes the circuit of the other magnet 8 by witlulrawing wedge 38 from between blades 35, 35*.

In view of the foregoing it will be seen that according to my system a passing war operates thereon at one point, i. 1%., where it onters a single-track section, to cause the motor to operate in one direction, the motor then automatically reversing the current in lluence on itself, and then operates, i. 0., where it leaves said track-section, to cause the motor to operate in the other direction, the motor again automatically reversing the current influence on itsell'. This, as shown, is accomplished by providing the motor with two reversely acting magnets each ol? which is in a separate division of the circuit (i. c., from the trolley wire through the system ol ircuit elements containing either magnet 8 to ground), by providing means lor closing each division by a passing vehicle and by providing means whereby, when either magnet is actuated, it cuts itself out of circuit and establishe: the other magnet in circuit; 1 do not wish, however, to be limited to the precise construction just described l'or accomplishing the operations mentioned. it may be added that my reason for providing tw cut-outs (via, :24

and Se) tor the right-hand magnet is that, in

order to insure the setting ol' the signals, a heavy pressure from the trolley wire is required in view of the comparatively considnable distance which the electric 'lluid has to travel from the circuit closing device a near end of the tree t-scction to the motor at the far end, and such heavy pressure would induce arcing it but one cutout were used; in the case of the left-hand magnet a single cutout will usually sullice because the motor is L the circuit closer It at the tar end ol' the tra vz-section, and the lull pressure does not ilind access to the parts helore the motor moves and cuts itsclt out.

The cut-out lormed by the insulating wedge 38 operates to break the circuit before the cut-out lever 24 operates; this because lever 17 does not engage the hook :37 until alter the wedge 38 enters between the blades 35 and 35 The circuit blades 35 and 35 bct'ore it is closed by the cut-out lever '24, because lever l 7 not moved far enough to actuate lever until the wedge 38 has withdrawn from between the blades 35 and In order that the magnets cannot counter act each other, the wedge 137 is so arranged that it breaks the circuit bctwecai I33 and 33'' just bcl'ore the circuit for the right-hand in that instance near magnet is completed by the lever l-il engaging the clip Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination, with a railway, ot a the j 1 closed between I the motor to move ger am safety railway, and in ianisn'i, controlled by the motor, for nrning the circuit tin-oi 5h one division thereof and breaking it in t and vice versa, alternately substan described. v

2. The combination, with the main condoctor of an electric rai' a signal apparatus comprising L means for causing the nrotor one direction and t 1 in ti the danger and t, apparatus, 0 c ieans comp ductor 1 ling from the ma vices, arranged eccl other conductors by a passing icle mg the circuit 'Wit ductors, and means, for reversing t e current influence on the motor, la t named eons being operat ve pn ircuit by one of said devices and t;e ent actuation or the motor, substantially described.

3. The con o tion, with a railway, of a signal apparatns comprising an electric motor, means for causing the motor to move first in one direction and then in the other direction to ff ct dongs-1" and safety n othe cond by the m o tor,

vehicle on the r: 'hvay, for clospart of each device b ing and the other its 2 naneans, controlled by the motor, the current influence on the "-named means being opersing oi the circuit by one of ire consequent actuation ,bstantially as descri ed.

conditions of the apparatus, said means electric circuit having a por- I 1' ided, distanced devices, one

in eac? di ision an. acapted to be actuated 1 nation, with a railwa or a signal apparatus COIIIPHSI g an electric motor, means for ca h i first in one direction and ti direction to effect the danger and saret con itions 01' the apparatus, sair 1 comprising reversely actuating electro-magnets and said means comprisin an electric apparatus comprising an electric then in the other circuit having a portion thereof divided and each division containing one of the magnets, circuit closers, one in each division, adapted to be operated by a vehicle passing over the railway, and mechanism, controlled by the motor, for breaking the circuit in the division thereof containing the acting magnet and establishing the circuit in the division thereof containing the inactive magnet on each actuation of the motor, substantially as described. I

The combination, with a railway, of a signal apparatus comprising an electric motor means for causing the motor to inov first in one direction and then in the i direction to effect the danger and sa y conditions of the apparatus, said motor comprising reversely actuating electro-n'iagnets, and said means comprising an electric circuit having a portion thereof divided and each division containing one oi the magnets, circuit closers one in each division, adapted to be operated by a vehicle passing over the railway, and mechanism, controlled by the motor, for breaking the circuit in the division thereof containing.

the acting magnet at two points successively and establishing the circuit in the division thereof containing the inactive magnet on each actuation of the motor, substantially 6 inc combination, with a railway, of a pparatus comprising an electric means for causing the motor to move nrst in one direction and then in the other direction to eilect the danger and safety conditions of the apparatus, said motor comprising reversely acting electro- 11 ignets and said means comprising an elec tric circuit having a portion thereof divided and each division containin one of the magnets, each division having a break therein, circuit closers each electrically connected with one division at one side of, and adapted to bridge, its break and adapted to be moved to the bridging or closing position by a vehicle passing over the railway, electromagncts, one in. each division, controlling the corresponding circuit closer, a1nln1ecl1anism, controlled by the motor, for making the circuit ti'iroug one division thereof and 1 'ng it in the other and vice versa, altersulj stantially as described. in testimony that I claim the foregoing, unto set my hand this 1st day of J'Vitnesses:

Joint W. STEWARD, wi h. D. BELL. 

